Christian
Dior
Dior, Christian, 1905–57, French fashion designer. He established his main house
of couture in Paris (1946) and by 1958 had salons in 15 countries employing more
than 2,000 people. Known particularly for the “New Look” of 1947 (narrow shoulders,
constricted waist, emphasized bust, and long, wide skirt), his designs were nonfunctional
but enormously popular in the postwar era. He created the short, waistless sack
dress (early 1950s) and introduced the A-line dress (1956). His designs represented
consistent classic elegance, stressing the feminine look. The Dior tradition
of beautiful fabrics led to the creation of international merchandising labels
for gloves, furs, and jewelry. Since the death of Dior, the firm continued under
Yves St. Laurent, Marc Bohan, and Gianfranco Ferre. |